


A Home in the Clouds

by fallenrose24



Category: Xenoblade Chronicles, Xenoblade Chronicles 2
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-30
Updated: 2017-12-30
Packaged: 2019-02-23 23:55:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13201302
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fallenrose24/pseuds/fallenrose24
Summary: (Spoiler through Chapter 6) Mὸrag makes a promise to Brighid with a gesture that is perhaps a bit bigger than she intended.





	A Home in the Clouds

**Author's Note:**

> I'm seriously in love with Mὸrag and Brighid, so here goes fic #3! This kinda turned into a long one. This time, I tried my hand at extensive dialogue between Mὸrag and Zeke - my favorite "bromance" of the game.
> 
> This is a tid-bit that I squeezed in during Chapter 6. So if you haven't gotten through that part, turn back now!
> 
> I took the liberty of making them stop on Fonsett before making it to Tantal... because I can. Anyway, this is also partly inspired by a Heart-to-Heart that Mὸrag and Zeke have in the village.

It was a rare day of rest in their travels – a much needed break from the physical and emotional exhaustion brought on by their short-lived visit to Indol. Their journey to Tantal had sent them back tracking through the Leftherian Archipelago and so a unanimous decision was made to spend a day or two in Fonsett while they waited for the second ship in their envoy to arrive over the Cloud Sea Mountain.

The village brought a sense of peace to all of them… one that could make them forget about warring Aegises, Emperor’s nearly dying, and a journey back to an unwelcoming home. Tora and Poppi had vanished almost immediately, most likely heading straight for one of the food stands in the small marketplace. Rex had run off soon after with Zeke and Pandoria in tow so they could meet Corinne while Nia and Dromarch disappeared to scope out a good napping spot. Mythra and Brighid chose to bask in the shade of a rather large tree overlooking the vegetable fields as they shared stilted small talk about the past. Brighid had been rather strategic about her choice, as this particular spot let her keep a close eye on her Driver who had been rather subdued since they had departed from Indol.

Mὸrag took a calming breath as she looked out over the Cloud Sea. The salvaging ridge gave her an unobstructed view of the vast, white void their nations swam through. That was something she liked very much about this small village. Here, when she gazed out into the distance, all she could see was emptiness. It was as if the world had melted away. Back in Mor Ardain, gazing out at the land only served to remind her of their limited time and the pain that came with her losing her childhood home.

Unfortunately, her peace was short-lived.

“Whatcha lookin’ at, Flamebringer?”

Mὸrag silenced herself for a moment as she bit back mild frustration. “I’m sure your eyes work just as well as mine, Zeke.”

The prince sighed dramatically. “Can’t you ever just give me a straight answer, lady?”

The Inquisitor ignored him.

“Alright, alright! Look, I actually came over to ask you something.”

“Oh?” Mὸrag peered over her shoulder at him. “And what might that be?”

Zeke’s grin spread over his entire face. “Well, since we’ve got a bit of time on our hands, I figured we might make the most of it.”

Mὸrag startled at his suggestive tone. “Excuse me?! Just who do you take me for?”

“Haha! What a piece of work you are.” Zeke slapped a hand against his thigh. “I’m flattered, really, but I was thinking more along the lines of flexing our muscles a bit.”

Mὸrag’s eyes narrowed. “You want to fight?”

“A good ol’ fashioned sparring match. You, me, and our lovely lady Blades. We’ve fought alongside one another a number of times now, but I missed out on an opportunity to face you the last time we were here.” Zeke winked. “Whaddya say, Mὸrag? Ready to see who the strongest Driver in Alrest really is?”

The Inquisitor huffed in annoyance, turning her gaze back to the Cloud Sea. “My answer then was no and it has not changed.”

The Tantalese prince threw his hands up in frustration. “Why the Hell not?? Is the illustrious Flamebringer really that scared she’ll be beat by Thunderbolt Zeke? I didn’t take you for a coward, Mὸrag.”

Her eyes shot back to glare at him as her blood boiled at his blatant insult. “Don’t be an idiot. You may no longer see yourself as a representative of Tantal, but you are still its crowned prince. I represent the Empire whenever I travel and I am acting as a special envoy of Mor Ardain specifically for our visit to _your_ kingdom.”

The Ardainian fighter turned, her amber eyes gazing at the prince through the slats in her metal visor. “Regardless if it was simply for child’s play, I will not allow rumors to circulate that I engaged in battle with royalty of another nation – especially one I am meant to visit under the banner of diplomacy. If enticing a war is your prerogative, far be it for me to stop you, but you can leave my country out of it.”

With that, Mὸrag stormed off, leaving a flabbergasted Zeke in her wake. The prince scratched the back of his head trying to wrap his brain around how everything had escalated so quickly. All he had really wanted to do was burn off some pent-up energy and he figured Mὸrag might need an outlet to cope with all the Hell she had been through lately. Clearly, he had misjudged the situation.

“You might want to lay off, Zeke.” The prince turned to see Rex had approached, a small scowl on his young face. “I know you mean well when you tease her like that, but I think Mὸrag’s probably at the end of her wit by now. Just let her be.”

“I suppose you’re right, chum.”

The salvager grinned. “Anyway, if you’re still rearin’ for a fight, why don’t we have a go?”

“Alright!” Zeke shot his fist in the air. “Pandy!!”

“Coming, my prince!!”

\---

Brighid’s brow furrowed in concern as she watched Tantal’s prince approach her Driver. She had a feeling this would not end quite like Zeke was most likely hoping. After the traumatic events of the last few days, she knew Mὸrag’s emotions were rubbed raw. It wouldn’t take much to set her off. Though an opportunity to watch her actually set the man on fire was hard to pass up.

“You alright, Brighid?”

The fire Blade turned back to the Aegis. “Y-yes, I’m sorry. I was just distracted for a moment.”

Mythra frowned briefly before letting out a slightly annoyed huff. A flash ignited and Pyra was suddenly in view. The transformation always had a tendency to startle Brighid, especially whenever she was rather close when it happened. Pyra’s emergence could only mean one thing…

“Is there something wrong with Mὸrag?”

Brighid sighed. “Not specifically, I’m just keeping a distant vigil. Things have not been easy for her as of late. I believe being here will do her some good before we move on to what could very well be another taxing journey.”

Pyra smiled at the stoic Blade with a softness that so rarely ever graced her alter ego’s face. “It’s sweet the way you look after her.”

A blush spread over Brighid’s cheeks as she turned her face away. “I’m simply doing what any Blade would do for their Driver. You can’t tell me you’re not in tune with Rex’s emotions. It’s natural that we be aware of their sensitivities.”

While that was certainly true, Pyra couldn’t help but feel like Brighid was not being completely honest with her motivation. She’d had this nagging feeling about that ever since they had spoken privately in the Praetorium. It had been a shock when the normally introverted Blade had approached her and shared such intimate fears with her. Maybe that’s why…

“Brighid?” She waited until that hidden gaze was focused on her. “Have you told her?”

The fire Blade huffed in defiance. “Have you told Rex?”

Now it was Pyra’s turn to blush. “We aren’t talking about me… but no, I haven’t. I’m hoping you’re at least braver than I am.”

A gentle chucked escaped the Blade. “I suppose I am.”

Ruby eyes widened and a hand darted forward to grasp a blue arm. “Wait… really? When!?”

Brighid turned her gaze back to Mὸrag. “Long before we ever met you. We simply tend to keep it to ourselves. I think it goes without saying that Lady Mὸrag is a rather private person.”

Pyra clasped her hands over her core crystal, a wide yet gentle smile stretched over her face. “Brighid, that’s wonderful! I’m sorry for teasing you earlier… I’m truly happy for you. I understand wanting to keep it private, and you know I won’t speak a word to anyone, but I hope you and Mὸrag also know that you’re among friends. With us, you should feel free to be yourselves. You shouldn’t waste time being scared.”

The fire Blade shook her head in mild amusement. “While I appreciate the sentiment, those words are rather ironic coming from you.”

Before Pyra could respond, Mὸrag’s voice rose in volume and carried to their ears. Brighid turned in time to see her storm off toward the marketplace, a searing fire burning – invisible to everyone but her. She couldn’t help the sigh that escaped her lips. She knew this would happen eventually.

“Why don’t you go after her?”

Brighid shook her head. “I’m afraid it’s sometimes best to let Mὸrag cool off on her own for a while. Her emotions are rather raw at the moment… I’m not sure she would take too kindly to my intrusion.”

They were interrupted yet again by Zeke and Rex. Not unexpectedly, a flash soon followed and the gentle fire wielder was replaced by her more aggressive alter ego.

Mythra sighed. “I suppose that’s my cue.”

Brighid laughed lightly at the Aegis’ clear annoyance. “As powerful as we might be, there is little we can do to sway the stubbornness of a hot-headed Driver. I can sympathize… as you clearly saw.”

“True, but I’m at least going after my Driver to keep him from doing anything stupid.” The blonde glared briefly at the Blade beside her. “Don’t be an idiot. She needs you. Even I know that.”

Before Brighid could argue, the Aegis was already making her way toward the salvaging ridge. Running away from an argument was an annoying way to make a point. She turned her hidden gaze in the direction of where Mὸrag had fled. Maybe those two were right…

\---

What a mess. Mὸrag’s not sure what had honestly gotten into her, but Zeke had managed to boil her temper too rapidly for her to control. She can’t behave like this. This wasn’t how she was trained. She’d be little good to this company if she couldn’t keep a level head. Though the internal chastisements weren’t really helping calm her down…

The Inquisitor finally stopped her furious marched and looked around. She had made her way to the other side of the village where most of the homes were scattered around. A number of people were milling about each building doing the day’s chores with the exception of one house that lay in what appeared to be utter isolation. Mὸrag started to make her way toward it – her curiosity was a nice distraction.

Surprisingly enough, Tora and Poppi were already at the empty home when she arrived. They happily waved her over.

“Friend Mὸrag go for walk?”

“You could say that. Did you find anything of interest in this home, Tora?”

Poppi flapped her arms in excitement. “Masterpon have appreciation for craftsmanship of home. Poppi is made of metal. Intricate wood carvings not possible to do on metal, so Masterpon observing skill he does not possess.”

Mὸrag took a step closer, gazing at the artistry Poppi had been referring to. The entire doorway was framed by hand carved flowers. The realism was astounding. Curious to see if there were more, she ventured inside the home. It was surprisingly empty, devoid of any furniture other than a wooden table and four chairs off in the corner. The base of the table had been carved to look like the World Tree and each chair had markings that made them resemble familiar Titans: Uraya, Gormott, Leftheria, and Mor Ardain. Incredible.

“That’s quite the masterpiece.”

The Inquisitor startled at the sound of her Blade’s voice. Once her heart had returned to its normal pace, she turned to face her companion. Amusingly enough, Tora and Poppi had already run off, so she was left alone in the house with Brighid. She could hardly complain.

“This entire home was built with that kind of skill and care.” Mὸrag smiled at her Blade. “Rather exquisite, don’t you think? We’re used to looking at metal and glass, but this wood seems to allow for quite a bit of artistry.”

“I thank you!”

A voice rang out behind Brighid, who in turn jumped back into her Driver and nearly toppled them over. Mὸrag managed to keep them upright as she braced herself against one of the chairs. Playfully glaring at her Blade for her dramatic fright, she turned her attention to the new comer standing in the doorway.

“Did you carve these yourself?”

The man stepped into view, his tanned face and brown eyes framed by blonde hair, and stuck out a hand toward Mὸrag.

“Yes indeed. I was hoping they would make someone smile. Name’s Tornil Lotmun.”

The Ardainian grasped his hand in return. “Mὸrag Ladair and this is my Blade-“

“Lady Brighid.” The man nodded at the fiery woman before him.

Mὸrag laughed softly. “Ah, so you’ve heard of us.”

Tornil turned to her with an expression of disbelief. “Fonsett might be isolated, but I don’t think there’s a soul in Alrest who does not know the Special Inquisitor of Mor Ardain and her formidable partner.”

The Ardainian sighed and turned her gaze to the floor. “I see.”

“M-my apologies!” The woodworker gawked at the resigned look on the woman’s face. “I meant no offense. I was simply offering my admiration.”

Brighid stepped forward. “It’s alright. We’re simply not here on official business. Though I suppose blending in with the crowd is not easy for us to do.”

Tornil nodded his head. “Of course, I understand. Then let us start over. Can I answer any questions for you, my ladies?”

Mὸrag stepped away, moving toward a window where she ran her hand along another beautiful carving. “If you don’t mind the intrusion… why is a house like this so empty?”

The Leftherian smiled. “I just finished building her not long ago. Just waiting for the right person to make her their new home.”

The Inquisitor paused in her ministrations. “You intend to sell?”

“Indeed. Families expand, people from other nations grow restless… it doesn’t hurt to have an empty home just waiting to be filled.”

“Hmm…” Mὸrag turned her gaze to the view of the Cloud Sea.

Tornil looked between the Driver and Blade. “Well, why don’t I give you both some peace and quiet? Feel free to stay as long as you like. I’ll be just outside pulling the weeds.”

Brighid nodded in thanks as he took his leave and then slowly made her way to the silent figure at the window sill. A gloved hand still idly stroked the intricate carving along the frame. The flame Blade reached forward, placing a burning hand over hers.

“Are you alright?”

Mὸrag shook her head. “Yes, I’m fine. This is quite different, isn’t it?”

“This home?” Mὸrag nodded. “Indeed. There is an unquestionable elegance to Hardhaigh Palace, but a place like this has its own charms.”

“Would you happy in as simple a place as this?”

Brighid paused, trying to decipher the strange expression on her Driver’s face. “I suppose I do come off a bit materialistic, don’t I?”

“Not what I meant, Brighid.”

“I know.” The Blade stroked her fingers over the gloved hand beneath her grasp. “There is a serenity here I enjoy. As much as it pained me to leave you during my trips to Gormott, I did find myself enjoying the peace and quiet.”

Mὸrag turned to face Brighid, moving her arms to both of the woman’s elbows and drawing her closer. “You would be happy in a place like this?”

Brighid smiled, lightly stroking her fingers over the buttons adorning her Driver’s torso. “You’re different here.”

“Me?”

“Yes.” She moved a hand to cup an alabaster cheek. “You’re lighter somehow… as if the weight of your uniform is not nearly so heavy. I enjoy this rare look of peace in your eyes. Well… so long as Zeke keeps his distance.”

Mὸrag nuzzled her face against a warm palm. “He means well. And you?”

“I try not to think of things like this.”

The Inquisitor frowned. “What do you mean?”

“It doesn’t exactly matter how much I might enjoy this village, the temptation of an anonymous, quiet life.” Brighid hung her head. “I am the Jewel of Mor Ardain… my place will always be with the Empire. Don’t mistake me… I’m proud to be what I am, to stand beside Drivers as noble and brave as you…”

Mὸrag nodded. “I understand, but when all of this is over, I promise you we’ll-“

“No.” A burning finger pressed against her lips to silence her. “Please, Lady Mὸrag. Don’t make promises you cannot keep. You are just as bound to the Empire as I am and for that, I am grateful. Let’s not hang our hopes on dreams.”

Mὸrag pursed her lips, pressing a kiss to the finger before removing the hand from her face. “Alright, but I can at least promise you that we will be together at the end of all this.”

Brighid smiled. “That is all I need.”

Moving forward, she placed a kiss to her Driver’s cheek before backing away toward the door. She paused, placing her left hand against the carved frame before turning to look over her shoulder. Mὸrag still stood at the window staring back at her with a hint of reverence. It was a look reserved only for her… one that made it seem as if her Driver still struggled to believe sometimes that she had awoken Brighid at all.

 “Let’s make the most of the peace we have left, Lady Mὸrag. And… do try to not actually kill Zeke should you set him on fire. I believe it would be considered bad form to kill the heir to the Kingdom we seek to visit.”

Mὸrag laughed as her Blade made her exit, leaving her in the quaint home. She took one last look at the World Tree table. Her gaze lingered at the chair that shared features of Mor Ardain. If she had a choice… she wondered where she might find herself. The thought of leaving Niall’s side did not appeal to her – this adventure was hard enough – but to live away from duty and title… to be just another woman in love?

“I wonder…”

The Inquisitor adjusted her Commissar’s cap and made a brisk exit. Scanning the yard, she immediately spotted Tornil who jumped to his feet when they made eye contact.

“How can I help you, my lady?”

\---

Mὸrag leaned her arms against the wooden fence overlooking the vegetable fields. The sun was starting to set, casting a warm glow across the clouds. There was not a single sight in this village that did not carry some amount of beauty. Her gaze eventually returned to her hands, which felt burdened by the weight she grasped between her fingers. Her earlier confidence had begun to wane with the loss of daylight.

Grass crunched behind her and a familiar shadow cast over her. She glared over her shoulder, which prompted Zeke to immediately put his hands up.

“I come in peace, Flamebringer.”

Mὸrag scoffed. “I have a name. You’re welcome to use it.”

The prince laughed as he mirrored her casual stance leaning over the wooden railing. “Alright, _M_ _ὸrag_ , what have you got there?”

Her gaze shifted back to the rolled-up paper in her hands. “A rash decision.”

Zeke smiled. “Do tell.”

Mὸrag wasn’t sure what made her do it, but she handed the paper over to him and waited. His shocked gasp was not unexpected.

“A house? You bought a house… here??”

The Inquisitor turned, leaning her back against the fence. “Do you see that building up on the hill?”

Zeke squinted to see past the low sun rays. “You mean that quaint little thing?”

“Indeed. The man who built it made quite an array of incredible wood carvings throughout the entire structure.”

“So you bought his home?” Zeke’s mouth dropped open.

Mὸrag glared. “Don’t be stupid. He built the house to sell it. I simply indulged him. I don’t see the harm in bolstering the Leftherian economy a bit.”

The prince shook his head. “Unbelievable. You are utterly unbelievable sometimes.”

“And what do you mean by that exactly?”

Zeke crossed his arms and scowled at the stubborn woman before him. “Do you actually believe half the crap you say?”

Mὸrag turned to face him, her brow furrowed and fists clenched. “Excuse me?”

The prince shoved the house deed in the Inquisitor’s face. “You bought a house! An actual bloody house on a different Titan than the one you basically own. And you’re telling me you did that just for kicks?”

“I-“

“Someone like you doesn’t do something like that for the Hell of it.”

Mὸrag snatched the deed from his dangling fingers. “What do you mean ‘someone like me’?”

Zeke sighed. “Someone in love with their Blade.”

The Ardainian startled. “That’s not… I’m not…” She sighed. “How did you know?”

A strong hand gripped her unarmored shoulder in nearly gentle reassurance. “I might only see with one eye, but I’m not blind, you know.”

Mὸrag met his kind gaze. “Did you know I was the reason we spent so much time apart?”

“What do you mean?”

The Inquisitor turned back to the Cloud Sea. “I spent quite some time in Gormott after the war. Tensions were always high, but no one dared cross the Emperor or his children. After I resonated with Brighid, I wanted to take her there, share with her the places that meant something to me to increase our bond.” Mὸrag smiled. “The look on her face when she saw the scenery… there’s really nothing quite like it in Mor Ardain. When the Senate approved the appointment of a Consul in Gormott who I did not trust, I thought it best I had an extra set of eyes and ears in the Province.”

“You asked Brighid.”

“Indeed.”

Zeke scratched at his chin. “That must have been tough.”

“It was.” Mὸrag sighed. “My duties in the Imperial Capitol were increasing and I knew she was more than capable of defending herself. I wanted her to have moments that made her smile like that again, even if I couldn’t accompany her.”

She startled as a strong hand slapped her on the back. “Boy, you’ve got it bad, Mὸrag!”

“Oh shut-up. Don’t make me regret talking to you.”

The prince smiled. “I think it’s great, you know. How honestly you care about her. Can I ask why you bought the house, though?”

She nodded and took a deep breath. “She told me today, when I tried to tell her we would come back here after all of this was over, that I shouldn’t make promises I couldn’t keep.”

His eyes widened. “You bought her a promise.”

“Yes.”

“Are you going to give it to her?”

Mὸrag sighed. “I suppose I should… it’s just… it seemed less like an exaggerated gesture a few hours ago.”

“Nonsense.” Zeke let out a soft chuckle. “If you love her, then no gesture is big enough.”

The Inquisitor turned to stare at the prince’s genuine expression.

She smiled.

\---

Brighid was sitting at the dinner table chatting aimlessly with Corinne when the familiar click of metal boots caught her ear. She turned and smiled gently as Mὸrag approached. Her Driver seemed a touch uneasy, which was rather strange. Her previous rage had clearly died down, but she wasn’t sure what to make of the nervous energy radiating off of her.

“I apologize for the interruption, but Brighid, may I have a word?” She held out a gloved hand for her Blade.

She nodded and turned back to Corinne. “If you’ll excuse me?”

The older woman smiled. “Of course! Of course!”

The two made their way out of the house, hand-in-hand to Brighid’s surprise. They passed Rex, Nia and Pyra chatting in the marketplace. Pyra’s gaze drifted only briefly to their joined hands before it returned to her fellow fire Blade and a smile stretched across her cheeks. The pair simply nodded in acknowledgement of their companions as Mὸrag pressed forward. She eventually stopped them outside the empty house.

“Lady Mὸrag?”

The Inquisitor smiled. “You told me not to make empty promises.”

She pulled out the rolled up paper she had stuck in her belt. Her gloved thumb ran reverently across it. Taking a deep breath, she handed the deed to Brighid and turned her gaze to the window. Though she was tempted to watch the Blade’s reaction, too much of her heart was terrified she had gone too far. Her pulse raced at the sound of the paper unfurling and her chest tightened when Brighid let out a gasp of shock.

“Is this…?” Burning hands drifted over the paper as she read it over and over just to be sure.

Mὸrag nodded. “It is.”

Brighid grabbed her Driver’s hand, forcing her to turn and face her. The words were escaping her, but the look on Mὸrag’s face was enough for her to know she needed to find them. Quickly. The Ardainian looked almost hurt, her brow furrowed in an attempt to school her features.

“Lady Mὸrag…” She shook her head with a smile. “Why?”

“We have always found a way to survive.” Mὸrag met her hidden gaze. “The number of Drivers who challenged us, trying to take you from me when I was only a novice… we never let them get the better of us. We’ve survived battles in the warded off corners of the Wastelands against monsters most can only ever dream about. You and I, even on our worst days, are nearly unstoppable.”

A gloved hand reached and gently touched the underside of the Blade’s chin, not letting her look away in bashful modesty.

“I intend to survive this journey. I will accept no other outcome.” She took a breath. “I may not yet know what is my true purpose in this life, but I do know that I want to discover it with you by my side.”

Brighid clasped her hands, and the house deed, to her core crystal. “Mὸrag…I…”

She laughed lightly. “I suppose you _have_ to remain by my side…”

The Blade shook her head. “No… no, I understand.”

Mὸrag cleared her throat. “I can’t promise you, when we finally return, how often we can escape our duties. What I can promise you is that we will have a place to call our own when we can take that time.”

Brighid grabbed the back of her neck and pulled Mὸrag forward, the house deed clutched tightly in her left hand. She crushed their lips together, trying to express all of the love and devotion that coursed through her veins. When they finally separated, she kept her grip steady, not letting the Driver put any distance between them.

“You are a surprising woman, Mὸrag Ladair.”

The Inquisitor smiled and raised her hands to wipe at the tears streaming down her Blade’s face. “Please, do not cry, Brighid.”

“I will follow you anywhere.”

Mὸrag pressed a kiss to her cheek. “Do you still believe this to be a promise I cannot keep?”

“I should know better than to challenge you.” The flame Blade let out a soft laugh. “Mὸrag… thank you… I-I…”

Mὸrag smiled and leaned forward. “I know. I do, too.”

She brushed their lips together once more. She could not predict when they would return to Fonsett, when they would be able to temporarily shed their titles and just be with one another, but she knew it would happen one day. She would make sure of it.


End file.
